It was to the south-west of Leeds that one of the key lines in the development of Britain’s railway network – the Middleton Railway – established the principle of seeking parliamentary sanction for the construction of a new form of transport. Five decades later in the early nineteenth century it was again the Middleton Railway that was at the forefront of the use of steam – rather than animal – power to move coal from colliery to market.

From the early 1830s through until the early years of the twentieth century the local railway network continued to expand; indeed, if it had not been for the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 the area would have played host to one of the last first-generation main lines to be constructed with the Midland Railway planning – and partially constructing – a new main line north from Royston. In the event the line was never completed, consigning Bradford to be served by no more than glorified branch lines.

Providing a largely illustrated account to the history of the railway development of the area, the book includes a fascinating selection of illustrations that focus on the evolution of the network in the almost eighty years since the end of the Second World War.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Abbreviations
• Acknowledgements and Author’s Note
• Introduction
• Bradford area
• The Midland Lines from Leeds
• Halifax and the Calder Valley
• The Heavy Woollen District
• Leeds Area
• The North Eastern Lines from Leeds
• Leeds South and East
• Engine Sheds
• Preservation
• Industry
• Appendix
• Bibliography